The invention relates to a wire rolling mill in block form, a so-called wire block, with at least one driven line shaft from which transverse shafts are branched off via bevel gear transmissions to drive the roll stands and the driving bevel gears are supported on the shaft so as to be freely rotatable and can be selectively coupled to the line shaft by means of clutches. A wire rolling mill of this kind is described in the German Offenlegungsschrift 24 46 905 and offers the advantage that stands or part rolls can be progressively shut down, irrespective of any increase in the rotational speed of the line shaft when larger cross-sections are being rolled, without however, eliminating vibration problems in the region of the roll drives which are not required.
Since natural vibrations cannot be avoided in a multisection drive system of a wire rolling mill in block form of the kind described hereinbefore, there is a risk that shock marks are produced as a result of such natural vibrations in the bearings and on the teeth of stands which are shut down and are therefore stationary. Such shock marks can cause irregular running within the branched drive and this becomes progressively serious the longer a shut-down stand section is exposed to the shock markings resulting from the natural vibrations of the co-rotating drives. This irregular running can be detrimental for the rolled stock.